Detergent composition



United States Patent 3,441,510 DETERGENT COMPOSITION Arthur W. Campbell, Terre Haute, Ind., assignor to Vego Chemical Corporation, Terre Haute, Ind. No Drawing. Filed Oct. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 495,320 Int. Cl. Clld 7/32, 1/68 US. Cl. 252153 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to detergent compositions. More particularly, it relates to detergent compositions comprising aqueous solutions of lower aliphatic amides.

The effective cleaning of hard polished surfaces such as metals, marble and particularly glass presents varying problems depending upon the composition and physical characteristics of the particular surface to be cleaned, as well as the particular material or mixture of materials to be removed therefrom. Such materials vary widely both in composition and physical characteristics and the difficulties in cleaning any particular surface are increased by the fact that seldom is it necessary to remove only a single material from the surface being cleaned. Obviously, an agent completely satisfactory for a particular purpose may be completely unsatisfactory for another, or even for any other cleaning job.

An ideal detergent composition is one which can be used on any surface without danger of damage of any kind thereto, and which will completely remove any and all kinds of foreign substances deposited thereon, and with the minimum application of mechanical effort. It must similarly be effective regardless of whether a single or complex mixture of foreign substances is to be removed, and regardless of the method of application or the changes that may have taken place after the deposition of the foreign substances.

Many different types of detergent cleaning compositions have been suggested in the past, including plain water, soaps of various kinds and various types of chemicals including both acidic and alkaline materials. However, no previously suggested detergent composition has been generally satisfactory, many of them having deleterious effects upon the surfaces to be cleaned. Many give effective cleaning of certain materials but are completely unsatisfactory and ineffective against Other materials with the result that satisfactory cleaning only occasionally results. A common failing of many detergent cleaning compositions results from the fact that while apparently removing the surface dirt or other contaminating foreign materials, they leave a thin film either of detergent or contaminating foreign material which can only be removed by vigorous rubbing with cloth or other buffer, if at all. This failure to give effective cleaning is particularly important in the case of cleaning Windshields, window panes and other glass objects through which clear vision is desired.

The detergent compositions which are the subject of the present invention more nearly approach the requirements for an ideal detergent cleaning composition than any previously known in that they have no deleterious effects even when allowed to stand for extended periods 3,441,510 Patented Apr. 29, 1969 of time on the surfaces to be cleaned, namely, hard smooth surfaces such as polished metals, stones and glass. It is unusually effective in substantially completely removing a wide range of foreign substances, and mixtures thereof, from such surfaces, regardless of the method of application of said foreign substances or the length of time they have remained on the said surfaces. Of especial importance is the fact that they leave substantially no film on the cleaned surfaces and require only a minimum of rubbing to leave a highly clean surface. In fact, the surfaces are so clean that they seem to remain cleaner for longer periods of time than glass or other hard smooth surfaces cleaned with other cleaning compositions. This appears to be due to the fact that the glass or other surface contains no film of foreign substance to serve as an adhesive for dirt or other contaminating substances coming into contact with it and for this reason a longer period of time elapses before cleaning is again required. Glass or other hard smooth surfaces cleaned by my new detergent composition are also more resistant to rain-spotting than when cleaned with other compositions. Still another advantage in the use of my new detergent composition lies in its particular effectiveness in removing bug juice from automobile Windshields and cigarette smoke deposits on interior glass surfaces. None of the previous detergent cleaners have been particularly effective for these purposes.

My new detergent composition comprises essentially aqueous solutions containing from 1 to 5% by weight of a lower alkyl amide having the formula where R is H or CH R is H or CH and R is H or CH Compounds of the above type include formamide, monomethyl formamide, N, N-dimethyl formamide, acetamide, monomethyl acetamide and N, N-dimethyl acetamide.

For most effective general use certain additional ingredients are preferably included in the detergent composition in order to give it a still wider degree of effectiveness. Such added ingredients include any of the conventional solvents or wetting agents which do not substantially react with the said lower alkyl amides under normal conditions of storage and use of the compounds containing same. Examples of suitable addition agents include: methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and ethoxyethanol. The inclusion of the solvent or wetting agent facilitates contact of the said lower alkyl amide with the surface dirt to be removed and speeds up the solution and removal thereof from the surface to be cleaned. For certain types of uses, one particular solvent or wetting agent may give more effective results than another under the same conditions. However, any solvent or wetting agent meeting the above requirements is generally suitable for inclusion in my new detergent compositions.

The inclusion of lower aliphatic alcohols such as methanol, ethanol (suitably denatured) and isopropanol, and the lower alkyl ethers of the glycols such as the methyl and ethyl ethers of ethylene glycol also adds to the effectiveness of my new detergent compositions in several ways; they contribute to the solvent action of the composition in removing certain types of dirt; they improve the odor of the composition and facilitate the removal of the foreign substances from the surface being cleaned. In some instances, they facilitate the solution of the dye when it is desired to color the detergent compositions.

When it is desired to color the composition, small amounts of water-soluble or alcohol-soluble dyes which are stable in the composition during normal conditions of storage or use may be likewise incorporated into the composition although they add little or nothing to the effectiveness of the composition as a cleaner. Dyes suitable for this purpose include Pontacyl Brilliant Blue E.

Where the particular composition contains little auxiliary solvent the incorporation of a conventional antifreeze agent may be desirable. 5

The following specific examples are given for the purpose of illustrating my new detergent compositions and their preparation. Variations from the specific compositions shown will be obvious to one skilled in the art, as for example, in the addition of ingredients serving one purpose or another, or in the use of different amounts and ratios of ingredients. It is distinctly understood, however, that any such variations which do not depart from the basic concept of my invention are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Example I The following ingrediente were thoroughly mixed in the proportions shown:

Dirnethyl acetamide Inl 38 2O Monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol ml 189 Watersoft ml 3558 Dye g 3.7

The above composition when sprayed on to dirty window panes was found to give more effective cleaning than a well-known commercial glass cleaning composition.

Example II A series of five samples was prepared as described in Example I, using the amounts of materials shown in the table below, the amounts given being percent by volume.

a b c d e Water 94 94 94 94 94 3 Monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol 5 5 5 5 5 Aeetamlde 1 Monomethyl aeetamide Dirnethyl aeetamide- Dimethyl formamide The above samples were tested on dirty automobile applicants compositions required a minimum of rubbing to remove all traces of dirt and leave a perfectly trans parent glass.

Example III The following compositions were prepared as described in Example I for the purpose of comparing the efiectiveness of added solvents of various types.

a b e d e f g h Water 94 94 94 94 71. 5 66. 5 64 59 Dirnethyl acetamide..-- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Methanol 5 27. 5 27. 5 Ethanol (denatured) 5 Isopropanol 5 35 35 Monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol- 5 5 65 The above cleaning compositions were tested by cleaning a soiled plate glass window, the composition being applied with a water-moistened clean sponge. When examined for smears at the point where the cleaning cloth was lifted from the glass and when examined by reflected light all of the above compositions were shown to be more effective than a well-known commercial product similarly tested. Sample IIIh was substantially superior to any of the samples tested, showing the advantages of the added solvent ingredients. While adding materially to the effectiveness of the composition both from the point of view of cleaning and giving the composition a pleasant odor and rendering it substantially non-freezing under customary conditions of storage and use, the omission of the dimethyl acetamide from the auxiliary agents, isopropanol and monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol, left the composition completely unsatisfactory as a cleaner in that the surfaces being cleaned were left 'dirty and smeared.

What is claimed is:

1. A detergent composition for cleaning hard polished surfaces consisting essentially of an aqueous solution containing as the essential ingredient thereof 1-5 by weight, of an amide having the formula where R is selected from the group consisting of H and CH R is selected from the group consisting of H and CH and R is selected from the group consisting of H and CH 2, The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the amide is selected from the group consisting of formamide, N,N-dirnethyl formamide, acetamide, monomethyl acetamide and N,N-dimethyl acetamide.

3. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein said composition additionally contains an auxiliary solvent material consisting essentially of 5-35 by weight of a material selected from the group consisting of lower alkanols and monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol.

4. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein said composition additionally contains an auxiliary solvent consisting essentially of 5-3S%, by weight of a material selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and the monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol.

5. The detergent composition of claim 3, wherein the composition contains 5 9-94% by weight of water.

6. The detergent composition of claim 5, wherein the composition consists essentially of 59%, by weight, water, 1%, by weight dimethyl acetamide, 35%, by weight isopropanol, .and 5%, by weight monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,383,738 8/ 1945 Richardson ct al. 252-152 Re. 23,840 6/1954 Vitale 25215 3 OTHER REFERENCES The Condensed Chemical Dictionary (sixth edition) revised and enlarged by Arthur and Elizabeth Rose (1961) p. 330.

Thomas C. Gregory, Uses and Applications of Chemicals and Related Materials, vol. H (1944) p. 2.

LEON D. ROSDOL, Primary Examiner.

B. BETTIS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

